Chip-holder and game-counter



(No Model.)

B. D. ROCKWELL. CHIP HOLDER AND GAME COUNTER.

No. 536,445' Patented Mar. 26, 1895.

---3L--P-&-jiva& I J fl/ \A/ITNESEEEI I; INVENTDRI UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

EDWARD D. ROCIUVELL, OF BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT.

CHIP-HOLDER AND GAME-COUNTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 536,445, dated March26, 1895. Application filed March 26. 1894. Renewed January 9, 1895.Serial No. 4,402. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD DAYTON RooK- WELL, of Bristol, in the countyof Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Chip- Holders and Game-Tallies, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention has relation to game counters generally, whereby pointsmade or lost in a game may be readily and accurately kept, and whereby,also, the progress of the game may be ascertained at a glance andwithout the necessity of computation.

The invention is particularly applicable to use in the playing of drivewhist and similar games of cards.

It is the object of the invention to provide means by which the counteror tally chips or buttons can be most conveniently retained in place andexchanged, and the gains and losses of the player indicated without thenecessity of any counting or computing.

The invention consists of a short bar or rod adapted to receive thereoncounters or chips and to normally retain the same thereon, and yetpermit them to be readily slipped 0d at will or additional ones placedthereon yield- 1ng means, as a spring, being provided for holding thechips on the rod against accidental displacement.

The invention also consists of a bar or counter holder of the characterbefore mentioned, provided with a scale or indicator having an indicatorinscribed in accordance with the thickness of the counters, so that thenumber of counters on the holder can be at once indicated upon a mostcasual inspection.

Reference is to be had to the annexed drawing's forming a part of thisspecification, like letters of reference indicating like parts in allthe views.

Of the drawingsFigure 1 is a side viewof one form of my inventionshowing a number of buttons or chips in place on the bar or rod. Fig. 2is an end view of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectional view drawn to anenlarged scale of the right-hand end, as viewed in Fig. 1, showing abutton or chip about to be applied to the bar or holder. The section ofthis view is drawn in the plane of the figures 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 isa sectional view similar to Fig. 3, showing a button or chip as havingbeen applied to the holder and just passed over the yielding retainingdevice. Figs. 5 and 6 represent slight modifications of the invention.

In the drawings-o designates a rod or bar which may be of considerablelength and size, and which is adapted to receive thereon a number ofchips or buttons, 1), each of which has a hole formed through its centerof a size suiiiciently large to permit it to be slipped upon the saidrod or bar.

0, (Fig. l) designates a head or stop which may be formed on one end ofthe said rod to prevent the chips or buttons from slipping off from thesaid end. The head, 0, may be provided with a ring or eye, d, for thereception of a ribbon or other suitable means whereby the contrivancemay be tied to the buttonhole of a garment, or be otherwise attached toan article of apparel, though this feature of the invention is notessential.

The end of the bar opposite that provided with the head, 0, is equippedwith a depressible spring, e, so that in slipping the buttons or chipson the bar the said spring may yield to slight force, as when the saidchip is moved from the position in which it is represented in Fig. 3 tothat in which it is shown in Fig. 4, thus allowing the chip to slip overthe said spring upon. the bar, and yet be sufficiently strong to preventthe chips from accidentally slipping off from the bar. The said spring,0, may he a single spring struck out from the metal composing the bar orrod, particularly when the latter is made hollow, as shown in Figs. 1 to4, or it may consist of several springs formed on the end of the rod asshown in Fig. 6, or be otherwise suitably constructed; and instead offorming a head on one end of the rod and a spring on the other, asdescribed, both ends may be provided with a retaining spring as shown inFig. 5.

In the preferred construction, as pictured in Fig. 1, I inscribe ascale, f, on the rod, as shown, running from 0 in opposite directions toa given number, say, for example merely, to 25, and graduate said scaleto the-thickness of the chips, so that should twenty-five chips beplaced upon the bar, as the number each player starts with, the saidnumber of chips will fill the rod from the head, 0, to 0 marked IOO atthe center of the scale. In this way should the player gain or lose theextent of gain or loss can be ascertained at a glance, and withoutthenecessity of counting the number of chips in the said playerspossession.

In my invention it is contemplated, however, to employ the improvement,if it may be desired, Without a scale inscribed on the rod, as isrepresented in Fig. 5.

By this device a very convenient means is provided for holding the chipsin place, and readily ascertaining how the player stands in the game.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

A chip-holder and game tally comprising in its construction a bar or rodprovided, constructed and arranged for holding chips slipped thereon,one of its ends having yielding means, as a spring, to permit the chipsto be slipped on and off the said rod, and a scale inscribed on the saidbar, running from 0 in both directions, to a certain number, the saidscale being drawn in accordance with the thickness of the chips.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses, this 19th day of March, A. D.1894:.

EDWARD D. ROCKWELL.

Witnesses:

M. BENJAMIN HOLDEN, ROGER S. NEWELL.

